Visual indication presentation and interaction processing systems and methods

ABSTRACT

A data processing device system may be configured by a program at least to determine particular content associated with a first indication of observable presentation of the visual indicator received from a first device system; store in response to determining that the particular content is associated with the received first indication, a recorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular content or information associated therewith has been device-presented; determine that the particular content is associated with a second indication of a user interaction with the visual indicator received from a second device system; and store in response to determining that the particular content is associated with the received second indication, an indication that the particular content has been interacted with by a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/065,009, filed Aug. 13, 2020, the entire disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of this disclosure generally are related to visual indicationpresentation and interaction processing systems and methods including,in some embodiments of the present invention, determining particularcontent associated with an observable presentation of a visual indicatorand determining that a user interaction with the visual indicator isassociated with the particular content.

BACKGROUND

Digital advertising across the Internet, World Wide Web, or apps onmobile devices promote products, services, or applications by deliveringmarketing messages or other digital content in order to attractcustomers. Since digital advertising can be expensive for advertisers,it is important for such advertisers to understand the effectiveness ofthe money they spend on digital advertising. However, the presentinventors understand that present schemes for determining theeffectiveness of digital advertising can be simplified and can be madeto be more comprehensive. For example, conventional advertisementtracking systems may attempt to track presentations of an advertisement,e.g., by recording each time the advertisement is digitally transmittedover a network to a device for presentation by the device. However, sucha scheme is limited in the context and manner in which presentation ofthe digital advertisement is detected, and it is limited in theinformation that it can provide to an advertiser about the effectivenessof its digital advertising campaign. For example, such a scheme requirestracking of the transmission of a digital advertisement at the point oftransmission, which may not be suitable in some contexts. Further, sucha scheme actually tracks a number of transmissions of the digitaladvertisement, which may incorrectly or incompletely reflect actualpresentations of the digital advertisement, such as if the transmissionfails to complete, or is successfully transmitted, but not actuallypresented at the target display device due to some technical situationat the target display device.

Accordingly, the present inventors recognized that there is a need inthe art for improvements in processing not only digital advertisementpresentations, but also presentations of other forms of digital content.

SUMMARY

At least the above-discussed need is addressed and technical solutionsare achieved in the art by various embodiments of the present invention.In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided for processingpresentations, interactions with, or both presentations and interactionswith visual indicators.

In some embodiments a system includes a data processing device system, aprocessor-accessible memory device system communicatively connected tothe data processing device system, and an input-output device systemcommunicatively connected to the data processing device system. The dataprocessing device system may be configured, via a program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: receive from afirst device system, via the input-output device system communicativelyconnected to a communications network, a first indication of observablepresentation of a visual indicator, the first indication consistent withorigination from a content monitoring program detecting observablepresentation of the visual indicator via monitoring of device-presentedcontent by the content monitoring program; determine particular contentassociated with the received first indication of observable presentationof the visual indicator; store, in the processor-accessible memorydevice system and in response to determining that the particular contentis associated with the received first indication of observablepresentation of the visual indicator, a recorded-presentation indicationindicating that the particular content or information associatedtherewith has been device-presented; receive from a second device systemand via the input-output device system communicatively connected to thecommunications network, a second indication of a user interaction withthe visual indicator, the second indication consistent with originationfrom a different program distinct from the content monitoring program;determine that the particular content is associated with the receivedsecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator; andstore, in the processor-accessible memory device system and in responseto determining that the particular content is associated with thereceived second indication of the user interaction with the visualindicator, an interaction indication that the particular content hasbeen interacted with by a user.

The particular content associated with the received first indication ofobservable presentation of the visual indicator may be different thanthe visual indicator.

The second device system may be the first device system, such that thesame device system provides the first indication of observablepresentation of the visual indicator and provides the second indicationof the user interaction with the visual indicator. The same devicesystem, which may be the first device system and the second devicesystem, may execute the content monitoring program and the differentprogram. The observable presentation of the visual indicator and theuser interaction with the visual indicator may occur at the same devicesystem, which is the first device system and the second device system.

The observable presentation of the visual indicator may be a firstobservable presentation of the visual indicator. The second devicesystem may be configured by the different program at least to analyze animage captured by a camera system of the second device system. The imagemay include a second observable presentation of the visual indicator.

The visual indicator may be a static, visible image representation of acode.

The first indication of observable presentation of the visual indicatormay include a time stamp indicating a time of initiation of theobservable presentation of the visual indicator. The data processingdevice system may be configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: receive from thefirst device system, via the input-output device system communicativelyconnected to the communications network, a conclusion time indicationindicating a time of conclusion of the observable presentation of thevisual indicator; determine, based at least on an analysis of the timeof initiation of the observable presentation of the visual indicator andthe time of conclusion of the observable presentation of the visualindicator, a duration of time of the observable presentation of thevisual indicator; and store, in the processor-accessible memory devicesystem in association with the recorded-presentation indicationindicating that the particular content has been device-presented, aduration indication indicating the determined duration of time of theobservable presentation of the visual indicator. The data processingdevice system may be configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: receive from thesecond device system, via the input-output device system communicativelyconnected to the communications network, a user interaction timeindication indicating a time of user interaction with the visualindicator; determine, based at least on an analysis of the time ofinitiation of the observable presentation of the visual indicator andthe user interaction time indication indicating the time of userinteraction with the visual indicator, a duration of elapsed time untiloccurrence of the user interaction with the visual indicator; and store,in the processor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contenthas been device-presented, a user interaction elapsed time indicationindicating the determined duration of elapsed time until occurrence ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator. The data processingdevice system may be configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: determine, basedat least on an analysis of the time of initiation of the observablepresentation of the visual indicator, an offer-available time indicationindicating a time in which an offer is available; store, in theprocessor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contenthas been device-presented, the determined offer-available timeindication indicating the time in which the offer is available;determine, based at least on an analysis of the time in which the offeris available and the time of user interaction, an offer-acceptanceindication indicating that the offer is accepted by the userinteraction; and store, in the processor-accessible memory devicesystem, the offer-acceptance indication. The data processing devicesystem may be configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: transmit, inresponse to determining the offer-acceptance indication and via theinput-output device system communicatively connected to thecommunications network, an instruction to execute a provision of aproduct, service, or both a product and service.

The data processing device system may be configured, via the programstored in the processor-accessible memory device system, at least to:transmit to a third device system, in response to determining that theparticular content is associated with the received second indication ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator and via the input-outputdevice system communicatively connected to the communications network,an instruction to visually present a web page associated with theparticular content. The web page may include a tracking pixel configuredto track a user's visit to the web page. The third device system may bethe second device system, such that the third device system and thesecond device system are the same device system, and such that the samedevice system provides the second indication of the user interactionwith the visual indicator and presents the web page associated with theparticular content including the tracking pixel configured to track theuser's visit to the web page. The third device system may be the firstdevice system, such that the third device system and the first devicesystem are the same device system, and such that the same device systemprovides the first indication of the observable presentation of thevisual indicator and presents the web page associated with theparticular content including the tracking pixel configured to track theuser's visit to the web page.

The first device system may execute the content monitoring program andprovide the observable presentation of the visual indicator via adisplay device system of the first device system.

The user interaction may include a photographing of the visual indicatorat a device different than a device that provides the observablepresentation of the visual indicator.

The user interaction may include a touching of a display region of atouch-enabled display device that provides the observable presentationof the visual indicator.

The visual indicator may be configured to attract user interaction.

Various embodiments of the present invention may include systems,devices, or machines that are or include combinations or subsets of anyone or more of the systems, devices, or machines and associated featuresthereof summarized above or otherwise described herein (which should bedeemed to include the figures).

Further, all or part of any one or more of the systems, devices, ormachines summarized above or otherwise described herein or combinationsor sub-combinations thereof may implement or execute all or part of anyone or more of the processes or methods described herein or combinationsor sub-combinations thereof.

For example, in some embodiments, a visual indication presentation andinteraction processing method may be executed by a data processingdevice system communicatively connected to a processor-accessible memorydevice system and an input-output device system, and the method mayinclude: receiving from a first device system, via the input-outputdevice system communicatively connected to a communications network, afirst indication of observable presentation of a visual indicator, thefirst indication consistent with origination from a content monitoringprogram detecting observable presentation of the visual indicator viamonitoring of device-presented content by the content monitoringprogram; determining particular content associated with the receivedfirst indication of observable presentation of the visual indicator;storing, in the processor-accessible memory device system and inresponse to determining that the particular content is associated withthe received first indication of observable presentation of the visualindicator, a recorded-presentation indication indicating that theparticular content or information associated therewith has beendevice-presented; receiving from a second device system, via theinput-output device system communicatively connected to thecommunications network, a second indication of a user interaction withthe visual indicator, the second indication consistent with originationfrom a different program distinct from the content monitoring program;determining that the particular content is associated with the receivedsecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator; andstoring, in the processor-accessible memory device system and inresponse to determining that the particular content is associated withthe received second indication of the user interaction with the visualindicator, an interaction indication that the particular content hasbeen interacted with by a user.

It should be noted that various embodiments of the present inventioninclude variations of the methods or processes summarized above orotherwise described herein (which should be deemed to include thefigures) and, accordingly, are not limited to the actions described orshown in the figures or their ordering, and not all actions shown ordescribed are required according to various embodiments. According tovarious embodiments, such methods may include more or fewer actions anddifferent orderings of actions. Any of the features of all or part ofany one or more of the methods or processes summarized above orotherwise described herein may be combined with any of the otherfeatures of all or part of any one or more of the methods or processessummarized above or otherwise described herein.

In addition, a computer program product may be provided that includesprogram code portions for performing some or all of any one or more ofthe methods or processes and associated features thereof describedherein, when the computer program product is executed by a computer orother computing device or device system. Such a computer program productmay be stored on one or more computer-readable storage mediums, alsoreferred to as one or more computer-readable data storage mediums or acomputer-readable storage medium system.

For example, a computer-readable storage medium system may include oneor more computer-readable storage mediums storing a program executableby one or more data processing devices of a data processing devicesystem communicatively connected to an input-output device system, theprogram may include: first reception instructions configured to causereception from a first device system, via the input-output device systemcommunicatively connected to the communications network, of a firstindication of observable presentation of a visual indicator, the firstindication consistent with origination from a content monitoring programdetecting observable presentation of the visual indicator via monitoringof device-presented content by the content monitoring program; firstdetermination instructions configured to cause a determination ofparticular content associated with the received first indication ofobservable presentation of the visual indicator; first storageinstructions configured to cause storage, in a processor-accessiblememory device system and in response to determining that the particularcontent is associated with the received first indication of observablepresentation of the visual indicator, of a recorded-presentationindication indicating that the particular content or informationassociated therewith has been device-presented; second receptioninstructions configured to cause reception from a second device system,via the input-output device system communicatively connected to thecommunications network, of a second indication of a user interactionwith the visual indicator, the second indication consistent withorigination from a different program distinct from the contentmonitoring program; second determination instructions configured tocause a determination that the particular content is associated with thereceived second indication of the user interaction with the visualindicator; and second storage instructions configured to cause storage,in the processor-accessible memory device system and in response todetermining that the particular content is associated with the receivedsecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator, ofan interaction indication that the particular content has beeninteracted with by a user. The computer-readable storage medium systemmay be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium systemincluding one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums.

In some embodiments, each of any of one or more of the computer-readable(data) storage medium systems (also referred to as processor-accessiblememory device systems) described herein is a non-transitorycomputer-readable (or processor-accessible) (data) storage medium system(or memory device system) including or consisting of one or morenon-transitory computer-readable (or processor-accessible) storagemediums (or memory devices) storing the respective program(s) which mayconfigure a data processing device system to execute some or all of anyof one or more of the methods or processes described herein.

Further, any of all or part of one or more of the methods or processesand associated features thereof discussed herein may be implemented orexecuted on or by all or part of a device system, apparatus, or machine,such as all or a part of any of one or more of the systems, apparatuses,or machines described herein or a combination or sub-combinationthereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for purposes ofillustrating aspects of various embodiments and may include elementsthat are not to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing device system, according to someembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a computing device system, which may be a particularimplementation of all or part of the computing device system of FIG. 1 ,according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates at least a portion of a visual indicationpresentation and interaction processing system including a network ofcomputing devices or device systems, wherein the visual indicationpresentation and interaction processing system may be a particularimplementation of at least all or part of the computing device system ofFIG. 1 , according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates at least a portion of a visual indicationpresentation and interaction processing system including a network ofcomputing devices or device systems, wherein the visual indicationpresentation and interaction system may be a particular implementationof at least all or part of the computing device system of FIG. 1 or thesystem of FIG. 3 , according to some embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 illustrates various visual indication presentation andinteraction processing methods, which may be implemented as a program(i.e., a program set of one or more programs) executable by one or morecomputing devices or device systems of the computing device system ofFIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , or FIG. 4 , according to various embodimentsof the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a data structure including data associated with(e.g., stored by, processed by, or both) one or more computing devicesor device systems of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , or FIG. 4 , according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a data structure including data associated with(e.g., stored by, processed by, or both) one or more computing devicesor device systems of FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , or FIG. 4 , according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above-discussed need in the art is addressed by visual indicationpresentation and interaction processing systems and methods, accordingto various embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments,digital or particular content that is desired to be monitored, e.g., foradvertisement campaign evaluation or other purposes, may be presentedalong with a visual indicator, and a first device system may execute acontent monitoring program that, in some embodiments, may be configuredto monitor digital content presented by a device and detect observablepresentation of the visual indicator, according to some embodiments. Inresponse to detecting the visual indicator, the first device system maytransmit a first indication of observable presentation of the visualindicator to a server device system, according to some embodiments. Thefirst indication may provide an indication that the digital content hasbeen device-presented. By using a visual indicator as a proxy forpresentation of the digital content that is desired to be monitored,data processing, storage, and transmission efficiencies are increased,at least in some embodiments and contexts where the visual indicator issimpler, smaller, or is a static image, compared to, e.g., cases wherethe digital content that is desired to be monitored is a larger, morecomplex, or is a moving image (e.g., video), according to someembodiments. In some embodiments, the visual indicator is a simplevisual observable representation of an object, in contrast to, e.g., amore complex digital watermark, which is not observable by normal humaneyesight perception, is more difficult to process, requires more datastorage, and avoids user or viewer awareness. An additional benefit ofthe visual indicator, at least in some embodiments and contexts, is thatit does not avoid user or viewer awareness and, instead, may, in someembodiments, be designed or configured to attract user or viewerattention or interaction by visually standing out (e.g., via visualseparation or isolation, color contrast, highlighting, flashing, colorvariability, boldness, text or accompanying text or image urging userinteraction, etc.) compared to the digital content that is desired to bemonitored, or compared to background image(s) concurrently visuallypresented by the respective device or device system.

In some embodiments, a second device system may execute a userinteraction monitoring program configured to detect user interactionwith the visual indicator and, at least in response to the detection, totransmit to the server device system, a second indication indicative ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator. The server device systemmay be configured, e.g., by a program (i.e., a program set of one ormore programs) to determine that both the first indication and thesecond indication are associated with the same visual indicator, e.g.,linked to the same digital content, to, e.g., determine or indicate thatthe digital content has not only been presented by a device, but alsointeracted with by a user or viewer at the device, according to someembodiments. In the context of at least digital advertising, such adetermination of interaction provides valuable additional informationabout the performance of a digital advertising or other monitoringcampaign, according to some embodiments. Further, recordation of theuser interaction signifies a confirmation that the digital or particularcontent that is desired to be monitored has, in fact, been devicepresented, according to some embodiments. Further, recordation of theuser interaction can prompt and provide additional interactions betweenthe content provider and the user/potential customer, in some contextsand embodiments, thereby increasing value to both the content provider(e.g., an advertiser in some contexts) and the user/potential customer,according to some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, theserver device system may instruct the provision of a product or service,associated with the digital or particular content, to the user or viewerwho interacted with the visual indicator associated with the digital orparticular content, to further increase benefits, according to someembodiments.

These and other features and benefits according to various embodimentsof the present invention are described in more detail below. It shouldbe noted, however, that the invention is not limited to the above or anyother examples provided herein, which are referred to for purposes ofillustration only.

In this regard, in the descriptions herein, certain specific details areset forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of variousembodiments of the invention. However, one skilled in the art willunderstand that the invention may be practiced at a more general levelwithout one or more of these details. In other instances, well-knownstructures have not been shown or described in detail to avoidunnecessarily obscuring descriptions of various embodiments of theinvention.

Any reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, “an example embodiment”, “an illustrated embodiment”, “aparticular embodiment”, and the like means that a particular feature,structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment. Thus, any appearance of thephrase “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, “in an exampleembodiment”, “in this illustrated embodiment”, “in this particularembodiment”, or the like in this specification is not necessarily allreferring to one embodiment or a same embodiment. Furthermore, theparticular features, structures or characteristics of differentembodiments may be combined in any suitable manner to form one or moreother embodiments.

Unless otherwise explicitly noted or required by context, the word “or”is used in this disclosure in a non-exclusive sense. In addition, unlessotherwise explicitly noted or required by context, the word “set” isintended to mean one or more. For example, the phrase, “a set ofobjects” means one or more of the objects, unless otherwise explicitlynoted or required by context.

Further, the phrase “at least” is or may be used herein at times merelyto emphasize the possibility that other elements may exist besides thoseexplicitly listed. However, unless otherwise explicitly noted (such asby the use of the term “only”) or required by context, non-usage hereinof the phrase “at least” nonetheless includes the possibility that otherelements may exist besides those explicitly listed. For example, thephrase, ‘based at least on A’ includes A as well as the possibility ofone or more other additional elements besides A. In the same manner, thephrase, ‘based on A’ includes A, as well as the possibility of one ormore other additional elements besides A. However, the phrase, ‘basedonly on A’ includes only A. Similarly, the phrase ‘configured at leastto A’ includes a configuration to perform A, as well as the possibilityof one or more other additional actions besides A. In the same manner,the phrase ‘configured to A’ includes a configuration to perform A, aswell as the possibility of one or more other additional actions besidesA. However, the phrase, ‘configured only to A’ means a configuration toperform only A.

The word “device”, the word “machine”, the word “system”, and the phrase“device system” all are intended to include one or more physical devicesor sub-devices (e.g., pieces of equipment) that interact to perform oneor more functions, regardless of whether such devices or sub-devices arelocated within a same housing or different housings. However, it may beexplicitly specified according to various embodiments that a device ormachine or device system resides entirely within a same housing toexclude embodiments where the respective device, machine, system, ordevice system resides across different housings. The word “device” mayequivalently be referred to as a “device system” in some embodiments.

Further, the phrase “in response to” may be used in this disclosure. Forexample, this phrase may be used in the following context, where anevent A occurs in response to the occurrence of an event B. In thisregard, such phrase includes, for example, that at least the occurrenceof the event B causes or triggers the event A in some embodiments.

The phrase “derivative thereof” and the like is or may be used herein attimes in the context of a derivative of data or information merely toemphasize the possibility that such data or information may be modifiedor subject to one or more operations. For example, if a device generatesfirst data for display, the process of converting the generated firstdata into a format capable of being displayed may alter the first data.This altered form of the first data may be considered a derivative ofthe first data. For instance, the first data may be a one-dimensionalarray of numbers, but the display of the first data may be a color-codedbar chart representing the numbers in the array. For another example, ifthe above-mentioned first data is transmitted over a network, theprocess of converting the first data into a format acceptable fornetwork transmission or understanding by a receiving device may alterthe first data. As before, this altered form of the first data may beconsidered a derivative of the first data. For yet another example,generated first data may undergo a mathematical operation, a scaling, ora combining with other data to generate other data that may beconsidered derived from the first data. In this regard, it can be seenthat data is commonly changing in form or being combined with other datathroughout its movement through one or more data processing devicesystems, and any reference to information or data herein is intended toinclude these and like changes, regardless of whether or not the phrase“derivative thereof” or the like is used in reference to the informationor data, unless otherwise required by context. As indicated above, usageof the phrase “or a derivative thereof” or the like merely emphasizesthe possibility of such changes. Accordingly, the addition of ordeletion of the phrase “or a derivative thereof” or the like should haveno impact on the interpretation of the respective data or information.For example, the above-discussed color-coded bar chart may be considereda derivative of the respective first data or may be considered therespective first data itself.

The term “program” in this disclosure should be interpreted to includeone or more programs including as a set of instructions or modules thatmay be executed by one or more components in a system, such as acontroller system or data processing device system, in order to causethe system to perform one or more operations. The set of instructions ormodules may be stored in or by any kind of memory device, such as thosedescribed subsequently with respect to the memory device system 130,151, or both, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively. In addition, thisdisclosure may describe or similarly describe that the instructions ormodules of a program are configured to cause the performance of anaction. The phrase “configured to” in this context is intended toinclude at least (a) instructions or modules that are presently in aform executable by one or more data processing devices to causeperformance of the action (e.g., in the case where the instructions ormodules are in a compiled and unencrypted form ready for execution), and(b) instructions or modules that are presently in a form not executableby the one or more data processing devices, but could be translated intothe form executable by the one or more data processing devices to causeperformance of the action (e.g., in the case where the instructions ormodules are encrypted in a non-executable manner, but throughperformance of a decryption process, would be translated into a formready for execution). Such descriptions should be deemed to beequivalent to describing that the instructions or modules are configuredto cause the performance of the action. The word “module” may be definedas a set of instructions. The word “program” and the word “module” mayeach be interpreted to include multiple sub-programs or multiplesub-modules, respectively. In this regard, reference to a program or amodule may be considered to refer to multiple programs or multiplemodules.

Further, it is understood that information or data may be operated upon,manipulated, or converted into different forms as it moves throughvarious devices or workflows. In this regard, unless otherwiseexplicitly noted or required by context, it is intended that anyreference herein to information or data includes modifications to thatinformation or data. For example, ‘data X’, such as a stored indication,may be encrypted for transmission, and a reference to ‘data X’ isintended to include both its encrypted and unencrypted forms, unlessotherwise required or indicated by context. For another example, ‘imageinformation Y’, such as a visual indicator or visual digital content mayundergo a noise filtering process, and a reference to ‘image informationY’ is intended to include both the pre-processed form and thenoise-filtered form, unless otherwise required or indicated by context.In other words, both the pre-processed form and the noise-filtered formare considered to be ‘image information Y’, unless otherwise required orindicated by context. In order to stress this point, the phrase ‘or aderivative thereof’ or the like may be used herein. Continuing thepreceding example, the phrase ‘image information Y or a derivativethereof’ refers to both the pre-processed form and the noise-filteredform of ‘image information Y’, unless otherwise required or indicated bycontext, with the noise-filtered form potentially being considered aderivative of ‘image information Y’. However, non-usage of the phrase‘or a derivative thereof’ or the like nonetheless includes derivativesor modifications of information or data.

Example methods are described herein with respect to FIG. 5 . Suchfigure is described to include blocks associated with program orcomputer-executable instructions, according to various embodiments. Itshould be noted that the respective instructions associated with anysuch blocks herein need not be separate instructions and may be combinedwith other instructions to form a combined instruction set. The same setof instructions may be associated with more than one block. In thisregard, the block arrangement shown by the methods of FIG. 5 herein isnot limited to an actual structure of any program or set of instructionsor required ordering of method tasks, and such method FIG. 5 , accordingto some embodiments, merely illustrates the tasks that instructions areconfigured to perform, for example, upon execution of a correspondingprogram by a data processing device system in conjunction withinteractions with one or more other devices or device systems.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a special purpose computing devicesystem, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In someembodiments, the system 100 may provide respective instances of nodes102 (e.g., FIGS. 3 and 4 , discussed below) of a visual indicationpresentation and interaction system 101, or the system 100 may representmore than one or all of such nodes 102, according to some embodiments.The system 100 may include a data processing device system 110, aninput-output device system 120, and a processor-accessible memory devicesystem 130. The processor-accessible memory device system 130 and theinput-output device system 120 are communicatively connected to the dataprocessing device system 110. In some embodiments, the phrase “computingdevice” may be defined as the entirety of the system 100. In someembodiments, the phrase “computing device” may be defined as all or aportion of the data processing device system 110. In some embodiments,the phrase “computing device system” may be defined as one or morecomputing devices.

The data processing device system 110 may include one or more dataprocessing devices that implement or execute, in conjunction with otherdevices, such as one or more of those in the system 100, methods ofvarious embodiments of the present invention, including the examplemethods of FIG. 5 described herein. Each of the phrases “data processingdevice”, “data processor”, “processor”, “computing device”, and“computer” is intended to include any data processing device, such as acentral processing unit (“CPU”), a desktop computer, a laptop computer,a mainframe computer, a tablet computer, a cellular phone, a smartphone,a personal digital assistant, and any other device configured to processdata, manage data, or handle data, whether implemented with electrical,magnetic, optical, quantum, biological components, or otherwise. Thedata processing device system 110 may be a distributed data processingdevice system including multiple communicatively connected dataprocessing devices. On the other hand, the data processing device system110 need not be a distributed data processing device system and,consequently, may include one or more data processing device system 110located within a single housing.

The memory device system 130 (also referred to as processor-accessiblememory device system 130) may include one or more processor-accessiblememory devices configured to store program instructions and otherinformation, including the information, such as that shown in FIG. 6 andFIG. 7 , as well as program instructions needed to execute the methodsof various embodiments, including the example methods of FIG. 5described herein. In this regard, each of the blocks illustrated in theexample methods of FIG. 5 may represent program instructions stored inthe memory device system 130 and configured to cause execution of theactions of the respective block. In some embodiments, as discussed inmore detail below, the memory device system 130 may store a serverprogram 107, a content monitoring program 105 a, a user interfacemonitoring program 105 b, or a combination of one or more of theseprograms, depending on a configuration of the corresponding dataprocessing device system (e.g., data processing device system 110),according to various embodiments of the present invention. The memorydevice system 130 may be a distributed processor-accessible memorydevice system including multiple processor-accessible memory devicescommunicatively connected to the data processing device system 110 via aplurality of computers and/or devices. On the other hand, the memorydevice system 130 need not be a distributed processor-accessible memorysystem and, consequently, may include one or more processor-accessiblememory devices located within a single data processing device orhousing.

Each of the phrases “processor-accessible memory” and“processor-accessible memory device” and the like is intended to includeany processor-accessible data storage device or medium, whether volatileor nonvolatile, electronic, magnetic, quantum, optical, or otherwise,including but not limited to, registers, floppy disks, hard disks,Compact Discs, DVDs, SSDs, flash memories, ROMs, and RAMs. In someembodiments, each of the phrases “processor-accessible memory” and“processor-accessible memory device” is intended to include or be aprocessor-accessible (or computer-readable) data storage medium. In someembodiments, each of the phrases “processor-accessible memory” and“processor-accessible memory device” is intended to include or be anon-transitory processor-accessible (or computer-readable) data storagemedium. In some embodiments, the processor-accessible memory devicesystem 130 may be considered to include or be a non-transitoryprocessor-accessible (or computer-readable) data storage medium system.And, in some embodiments, the memory device system 130 may be consideredto include or be a non-transitory processor-accessible (orcomputer-readable) storage medium system or data storage medium systemincluding or consisting of one or more non-transitoryprocessor-accessible (or computer-readable) storage or data storagemediums.

The phrase “communicatively connected” is intended to include any typeof connection, whether wired or wireless, between devices, dataprocessors, or programs in which data may be communicated. Further, thephrase “communicatively connected” is intended to include a connectionbetween devices or programs within a single data processor, a connectionbetween devices or programs located in different data processors, and aconnection between devices not located in data processors at all. Inthis regard, although the memory device system 130 is shown separatelyfrom the data processing device system 110 and the input-output devicesystem 120, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the memorydevice system 130 may be located completely or partially within the dataprocessing device system 110 or the input-output device system 120.Further in this regard, although the input-output device system 120 isshown separately from the data processing device system 110 and thememory device system 130, one skilled in the art will appreciate thatsuch system may be located completely or partially within the dataprocessing system 110 or the memory device system 130, depending on thecontents of the input-output device system 120. Further still, the dataprocessing device system 110, the input-output device system 120, andthe memory device system 130 may be located entirely within the samedevice or housing or may be separately located, but communicativelyconnected, among different devices or housings. In the case where thedata processing device system 110, the input-output device system 120,and the memory device system 130 are located within the same device orhousing, the system 100 of FIG. 1 may be implemented by a singleapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in some embodiments.

The input-output device system 120 may include a mouse, a keyboard, atouch screen, a computer, a processor-accessible memory device, anetwork-interface-card or network-interface circuitry, or any device orcombination of devices from which a desired selection, desiredinformation, instructions, or any other data is input to the dataprocessing device system 110. The input-output device system 120 mayinclude a user-activatable control system that is responsive to a useraction. The input-output device system 120 may include any suitableinterface for receiving a selection, information, instructions, or anyother data from other devices or systems described in various ones ofthe embodiments.

The input-output device system 120 also may include an image generatingdevice system, a display device system, a speaker device system, acomputer, a processor-accessible memory device system, anetwork-interface-card or network-interface circuitry, or any device orcombination of devices to which information, instructions, or any otherdata is output by the data processing device system 110. In this regard,the input-output device system 120 may include various other devices orsystems described in various embodiments. The input-output device system120 may include any suitable interface for outputting information,instructions, or data to other devices and systems described in variousembodiments. If the input-output device system 120 includes aprocessor-accessible memory device, such memory device may or may notform part or all of the memory device system 130.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the system100 includes some or all of the systems shown in each of at least FIGS.2, 3, and 4 .

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a computing device system 200, whichmay be a particular implementation of all or part of the computingdevice system 100 of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments. In thisregard, the system 200 of FIG. 2 may also represent all or a part of anode 102 discussed further below with respect to at least FIGS. 3 and 4, according to some embodiments. The computing device system 200 mayinclude a processor 150, which may correspond to an embodiment of thedata processing device system 110 of FIG. 1 , in some embodiments. Thenon-transitory random-access memory 151, input/output (I/O) adapter 156,and non-transitory storage medium, such as a hard disk drive, 157 maycorrespond to an embodiment of some or all of the processor-accessiblememory device system 130 of FIG. 1 , according to some embodiments.Although, the I/O adapter 156 may also be considered part of theinput-output device system 120 of FIG. 1 , according to someembodiments. The user interface adapter 154, mouse 158, keyboard 159,display adapter 155, display 160, and communication interface 152 maycorrespond to an embodiment of the input-output device system 120 ofFIG. 1 , according to some embodiments. The communication interface 152(e.g., an example of all or part of the input-output device system 120)may communicatively connect to a communications network 153 forcommunicating with other computing device systems 200 or 100, or nodes102, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a system 101, according to various exampleembodiments. The system 101 may be a particular implementation of all,part, or respective instances of the computing device system 100 of FIG.1 or 200 in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the system 101 provides avisual indication presentation and interaction processing system. Thesystem 101 includes a plurality of nodes 102 (six called out asreference parts 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, 102 d, 102 e, and 102 f in theexample embodiments shown in FIG. 3 ). In some embodiments, thecomputing devices 100 of FIG. 1 and 200 of FIG. 2 may provide each of atleast some or all of the nodes 102. In this regard, each node 102 mayrepresent an instance of the computing device 100 or 200, or thecomputing device 100 may be considered to represent a plurality or allof the nodes 102. The nodes 102 may be communicatively connected to eachother using communication channels 103 (for clarity of drawing, not allcommunication channels are labeled in FIG. 3 ). Examples ofcommunication systems or communications networks include, but are notlimited to, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs),cellular networks, or the Internet. In some embodiments, thecommunications network 153 of FIG. 2 may provide the communicationchannels 103, which may be any communicative connection according tosome embodiments. According to some embodiments, the system 101 mayinclude a plurality of nodes 102, each node 102 including a dataprocessing device system (e.g., data processing device system 110), amemory device system (e.g., memory device system 130), and aninput-output device system (e.g., input-output device system 120)communicatively connected to a communications network (e.g., network153), which may provide communication channels 103.

In some embodiments, the system 101 may include a plurality of computingdevice systems (e.g., 100 or 200) communicatively connected to acommunications network (e.g., network 153) (e.g., via input-outputdevice system 120 or communication interface 152). In some embodiments,each respective data processing device system (e.g., 110 or 150) withineach node 102 may be communicatively connected to a respectiveprocessor-accessible memory device system (e.g., 130, 104 (FIG. 4 ), or151, 157, or both 151 and 157) and respective input-output device system(e.g., 120 or 151, 152, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, or acombination thereof). In some embodiments, each of one or more of therespective processor-accessible memory device systems of the nodes 102stores a program that configures the respective data processing devicesystem of the node 102 to execute all or a portion of each of one ormore of the processes disclosed herein, such as some or all of thosedescribed with respect to at least FIG. 5 , below.

In some embodiments, the system 101 may be a peer-to-peer (P2P) network.Each node 102 may be directly or indirectly communicatively connected tothe other nodes 102 via communication channels 103. The communicationchannels 103 may be open (unencrypted) or encrypted to provide securecommunication between the nodes 102, according to various embodiments.Each node 102 may interact with another node 102, even if thecommunication path requires the communication to be transmitted viacommunication channels communicatively connected to an intermediatethird node 102. In some embodiments, intermediate nodes in acommunication path communicatively connecting two particular nodes 102may serve as message routers to provide a communications link betweentwo particular nodes 102.

FIG. 4 illustrates all or a portion of a visual indication presentationand interaction processing system 101 including a network of computingdevices or device systems, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. In some embodiments, the system 101 includes as node 102 a aserver device system (also referred to as a server device system 102 a).Although the phrase “server device system” is used to describe someembodiments of node 102 a in FIG. 4 , other configurations of node 102 amay be implemented on other embodiments. In some embodiments, the serverdevice system 102 a may represent an instance of the system 100 of FIG.1 or the system 200 of FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the server devicesystem executes a server program 107, which may be stored in or by theprocessor-accessible memory device system 130 or the memory 151 of theserver device system 102 a, according to some embodiments. FIG. 5 ,described in more detail below, illustrates, in middle column 550,various configurations of the server program 107 that may configure adata processing device system (e.g., a data processing device system110) of the server device system 102 a to execute various visualindication presentation and interaction processing methods describedherein, according to some embodiments of the present invention. In someembodiments, the server device system 102 a stores in its memory devicesystem (e.g., all or a portion of memory device system 130 in FIG. 1 ormemory 151 in FIG. 2 ) a database 104. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , described inmore detail below, provide some example contents and data structures ofthe database 104, according to some embodiments.

Although FIG. 4 shows many nodes or device systems 102 a-102 i toprovide some example configurations, it should be noted that theinvention is not limited to any one or more or all of such nodes ordevice systems or configurations, which are merely provided for purposesof illustration. For example, not all nodes 102 in FIG. 4 are required,according to some embodiments, and some of various embodiments havevarious combinations or sub combinations of these or other nodes.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a first node or first device system102 b that may be communicatively connected to the server device system102 a via a communicative connection 103 a (which may be an example of acommunication channel 103 from FIG. 3 or any other communicativeconnection). Although communicative connection 103 a and othercommunicative connections in FIG. 4 are illustrated in FIG. 4 with asingle-direction arrow, it should be noted that each of one or more orall of such communicative connections may be a bidirectionalcommunicative connection, according to various embodiments.

In some embodiments, the first device system 102 b may execute or atleast be configured to execute a content monitoring (“CM”) program 105a. FIG. 5 , described in more detail below, illustrates, in left column551, various configurations of the content monitoring program 105 a thatmay configure a data processing device system (e.g., a data processingdevice system 110) of the first device system 102 b to execute one ormore portions of various visual indication presentation and interactionprocessing methods described herein, according to some embodiments.However, not all blocks in column 551 in FIG. 5 are required to beexecuted by a content monitoring program 105 a, according to someembodiments.

In some embodiments, the content monitoring program 105 a containsdetection instructions associated with block 506 that configure thefirst device system 102 b (or other device system that is executing thecontent monitoring program 105 a) to detect initiation of an observablepresentation of a visual indicator. For instance, in some embodiments asillustrated in FIG. 4 , the first device system 102 b may observablypresent or provide e.g., via a display device system, digital orparticular content 108 (commonly referred to below merely as “digitalcontent” herein for simplicity) and an associated visual indicator 109a. In some embodiments, the digital content 108 may be part of anadvertising campaign in which an advertiser is interested inunderstanding the effectiveness of such advertising campaign. However,the present invention is not limited to this context, and equallyapplies in any context in which it is desirable to track, monitor, orpromote user engagement with the display of digital content, forexample.

In some embodiments, the visual indicator 109 a may be configured to bemore easily presentable than the digital content 108 (e.g., by being aless-complex or smaller image or video than the digital content 108) tofacilitate easy detection by the content monitoring program 105 a, butalso, in some embodiments, to attract user or viewer attention orinteraction (e.g., by visually standing out such as via visualseparation or isolation, color contrast, highlighting, flashing, colorvariability, boldness, text or accompanying text or image urging userinteraction, etc.) compared to the digital content 108 that is desiredto be monitored, or compared to a background 108 a or backgroundimage(s) concurrently visually presented by the respective device ordevice system (e.g., the first device system 102 b in this example).

In the example of FIG. 4 , the digital content 108 to be monitored is animage or video of a beverage advertisement, while the visual indicator109 a is a static, visible image representation of a code that, asdescribed in more detail below, may link the visual indicator 109 a tothe digital content 108 in the database 104. However, the presentinvention is not limited to any particular form of digital content, andother types of visual indicators may be utilized in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, the content monitoring program 105 a may beconfigured to monitor all or at least one or more sequences of digitalcontent presented by the first device system (e.g., first device system102 b in this present example), to detect the presentation of one ormore particular digital content. In some embodiments, the contentmonitoring program 105 a may be configured to detect the presence of atype of visual indicator, such as a code, an icon, a stamp, a particularsequence of images, a QR code (as is the example of visual indicator 109a), or any other type of image or sequence of images (e.g., video) thathas one or more detectable common characteristics that facilitatedetection by the content monitoring program 105 a, according to variousembodiments. As described above, however, in some embodiments, thevisual indicator (such as visual indicator 109 a) is more easily orefficiently transmitted, observably presented, or detected than thecorresponding digital content 108, and may be configured to attract useror viewer attention or interaction.

In the example of FIG. 4 , the content monitoring program 105 a may beconfigured to detect or cause detection of, according to programinstructions associated with block 506 in FIG. 5 , an observablepresentation of a QR code (as visual indicator 109 a in this example) ina predetermined region or regions of the display of the first devicesystem 102 b, according to some embodiments. By allowing the contentmonitoring program 105 a to monitor a predetermined region or regions ofthe display (e.g., monitoring less than the entire display region),according to some embodiments, the processing load required by thecontent monitoring program 105 a may be reduced, as compared to caseswhere the content monitoring program 105 a monitors the entire displayregion.

In response to detection of the observable presentation of the visualindicator 109 a by a data processing device system (e.g., of firstdevice system 102 b in this present example) under execution of thecontent monitoring program 105 a according to program instructionsassociated with block 506, such data processing device system may beconfigured by the content monitoring program 105 a to transmit a firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a tothe server device system 102 a according to program instructionsassociated with block 508 in FIG. 5 , according to some embodiments. Inthe example of FIG. 4 , the first indication may be transmitted to theserver device system 102 a by the content monitoring program 105 aexecuted by the first device system 102 b via communicative connection103 a. In some embodiments, such first indication may include anindication of a code indicated by the visual indication 109 a. Such acode may be associated, e.g., at least in database 104 in FIG. 4 , withparticular content that is desired to be monitored, such as a beverageassociated with digital content 108 in the example of FIG. 4 , which maybe the subject of an advertising campaign, according to some embodimentsof the present invention. Such a code may also be associated with aunique device identifier associated (e.g., at least in database 104 inFIG. 4 ) with the device system (e.g., the first device system 102 b inthis present example) that observably presented the corresponding visualindicator (e.g., the visual indicator 109 a in this present example). Insome embodiments, the first indication (e.g., transmitted in accordancewith program instructions associated with block 508) may include a timeor time stamp indicating a time of initiation of the observablepresentation of the visual indicator (e.g., the visual indicator 109 ain this present example). The first indication may include or indicateother information, according to various embodiments.

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 502 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to receive the firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g., thevisual indicator 109 a in the present example), which was transmittedaccording to program instructions associated with block 508. In thisregard, a data processing device system (e.g., an instance of or a partof data processing device system 110) of server device system 102 a maybe configured via a program, such as server program 107, at least toreceive from a communicatively connected first device system (e.g.,first device system 102 b), via an input-output device system (e.g., aninstance of or a part of input-output device system 120, such as networkor communication interface 152) communicatively connected to acommunications network (e.g., FIG. 3 or via communicative connection 103a), a first indication of observable presentation of a visual indicator(e.g., visual indicator 109 a). In some embodiments, the firstindication is consistent with origination from a content monitoringprogram (e.g., content monitoring program 105 a of first device system102 b) detecting observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g.,visual indicator 109 a) via monitoring of device-presented content bythe content monitoring program.

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 504 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to determineparticular content associated with the first indication received perblock 502 of observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g.,visual indicator 109 a). With respect to the example of FIG. 6 , inresponse to receiving the first indication per block 502, the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured to build a new entry (e.g., a newrow 650 in this present example) in a database, such as database 600.The database 600 may be included in the database 104 shown in FIG. 4 .Although the database 600 is illustrated as a two-dimensional table datastructure merely for purposes of illustration, it should be noted thatthe invention is not limited to any particular data structure for any ofthe databases discussed herein.

The first indication received per block 502 may include or beconvertible to define a code, such as code “B36F” in this example, whichthe server device system 102 a may be configured to insert into row 650,column 602, as shown in the example of FIG. 6 , according to someembodiments. Such code may be linked to or associated with particularcontent, identified as “Coffee Brand X” in this example, in the database104, row 650, column 604. The linkage or association between the codeand the particular content is an example of an association between theparticular content and the first indication received per block 502. Thelinkage or association between the code and the particular content maybe accomplished by a look-up-table or other data structure in thedatabase 104, according to various embodiments. By accessing suchlook-up-table or other data structure linking the code and theparticular content, the server device system 102 a is able to determine,e.g., according to program instructions associated with block 504, theparticular content associated with the first indication received perblock 502 of observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g.,visual indicator 109 a), according to some embodiments. However, theinvention is not limited to any particular mechanism by which the serverdevice system 102 a determines particular content associated with thereceived first indication of observable presentation of the visualindicator.

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 510 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to store, in aprocessor-accessible memory device system (e.g., in database 600 storedin or by all or part of memory device system 130) and in response todetermining that the particular content is associated with the firstindication received per block 502 of observable presentation of thevisual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a), a recorded-presentationindication indicating that the particular content or informationindicative of the particular content or associated therewith has beendevice-presented. For example, according to some embodiments withrespect to FIG. 6 , such a recorded-presentation indication may be allor part of the new database entry of row 650 in database 600, which theserver device system 102 a may populate in response to receiving perblock 502 the first indication, in some embodiments. For instance, basedat least on determining per block 504 that the particular content isassociated with the first indication received per block 502, the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured to insert such particular contentidentification into row 650, column 604 in the example of FIG. 6 ,according to some embodiments, at least as part of building the newdatabase entry (e.g., new row 650) in database 600 in response toreceiving the first indication per block 502.

The particular content identification stored in the database 600 may bethe same or different than the digital content (e.g., digital content108) detected by the content monitoring program 105 a, according tovarious embodiments. For example, the particular content identificationstored in row 650, column 604 in the database 600 is “Coffee Brand X”,whereas the digital content 108 presented by the first device system 102b and detected by the corresponding content monitoring program 105 a inFIG. 4 per block 506 is an image or video of or including a beverage.Accordingly, the particular content or the identification thereof in thedatabase 600 may be a description of the digital content 108 or otherinformation associated with or indicative of the digital content 108,according to some embodiments. In this regard, in some embodiments, theparticular content (e.g., digital content 108) associated with the firstindication (received per block 502 in some embodiments) of observablepresentation of the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a) maybe different than the visual indicator.

In some embodiments, the first indication received per block 502 may beassociated with (e.g., by database 104) or include an association with(e.g., internally store or represent) a device identifier thatidentifies the device (e.g., all or a part of first device system 102 bin this present example) which observably presented the visual indicator(e.g., visual indicator 109 a). In the example of FIG. 6 , the deviceidentifier associated with first device system 102 b is “7F9J”, whichthe server device system 102 a records in row 650, column 606 in thedatabase 600, in this present example. Such a device identifier may beparticularly useful to track which device(s) present the digital content108, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the first indication received per block 502 mayinclude or be associated or transmitted with a time or time stamp ofinitiation of the observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a.In the example of FIG. 6 , this time of initiation of the observablepresentation of the visual indicator is stored by the server devicesystem 102 a in row 650, column 608 of the database 600, according tosome embodiments.

In some embodiments, the first indication received per block 502 mayinclude or be associated or transmitted with an opening of or a durationof an offer period or window. For example, at least in some embodimentswhere the particular content (e.g., row 650, column 604) and theassociated digital content 108 is part of an advertising campaign, itmay be beneficial to encourage user interaction or engagement with thecontent. For instance, it may be beneficial, in some contexts andembodiments, to provide a user or viewer with a special offer topurchase one or more products or services associated with the particularcontent or digital content 108, upon presentation of the digital content108 by the first device system (e.g., first device system 102 b). Forexample, in association with presentation of the beverage image or videoof digital content 108 by first device system 102 b, a user or viewer ofthe display of first device system 102 b may be offered a specialdiscount on purchasing such a beverage for certain period of time,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the period of timemay begin with the presentation of the digital content 108. Forinstance, when an advertisement for the beverage of digital content 108is presented, a user or viewer may be provided with an opportunity topurchase such a beverage at a discount for the next hour. As will bedescribed in more detail below, this offer may be accepted by the useror viewer by interacting with the associated visual indication 109 a.FIG. 6 works from this example, such that the server device system 102 amay be configured, according to some embodiments, to determine anexpiration time of the offer by adding an hour to the start ofpresentation time recorded in row 650, column 608 and storing, e.g.,pursuant to program instructions associated with block 510, a result ofthat determination in the offer expiration time column 614 forcorresponding row 650, as shown in FIG. 6 . In this regard, the offerexpiration time recorded in column 614 at least for corresponding row650 is an example of an offer-available time, although other manners ofrecording an offer-available time may be utilized in other embodiments.

In other words, in some embodiments, a data processing device system(e.g., all or part of data processing device system 110) of the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured by program instructions associatedwith block 504 in FIG. 5 , e.g., via the server program 107, at least todetermine, based at least on an analysis of the time of initiation ofthe observable presentation (e.g., the time of initiation recorded inrow 650, column 608 in database 600) of the visual indicator (e.g.,visual indicator 109 a), an offer-available time indication (e.g., thetime recorded in row 650, column 614 in database 600) indicating a timein which an offer is available, and to store, in theprocessor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication (e.g., at least part of row 650, suchas the start of presentation time in row 650, column 608) indicatingthat the particular content has been device-presented, the determinedoffer-available time indication (e.g., the time recorded in row 650,column 614 in database 600). The determined offer-available timeindication may indicate the time in which the offer is available.

According to some embodiments, as illustrated with respect to FIG. 4 , asecond device system, such as second device system 102 c, may beconfigured to interact with the observably presented visual indicator109 a observably presented by first device system 102 b. As illustratedby second device system 102 c, the second device system may be distinct(e.g., physically separated, within distinct housings, governed bydifferent processors, separated by a network connection, or combinationsthereof, according to some embodiments) from the first device system(e.g., first device system 102 b), the server device system (e.g.,server device system 102 a), or both the first device system and theserver device system, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the second device system (e.g., such as seconddevice system 102 c), or a data processing device system thereof, may beconfigured by a user interface monitoring program 105 b, which may bestored on a memory device system (e.g., all or part of memory devicesystem 130) of the second device system, to detect, according to programinstructions associated with block 514 in FIG. 5 , an interaction withthe observably presented visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109a). The user interface monitoring program 105 b is an example of adifferent program than the content monitoring program 105 a, accordingto some embodiments. In the illustrated example case of second devicesystem 102 c in FIG. 4 , the user interface monitoring (“UIM”) program105 b configures the second device system 102 c to analyze an image 111captured (represented by reference 109 c) by a camera system 112 of thesecond device system 102 c to determine if the captured image is atleast in part of the visual representation 109 a. For example, if thesecond device system 102 c, under control or execution of the userinterface monitoring program 105 b, detects that the user of the seconddevice system 102 c photographs or captures an image 111 of the visualindicator 109 a, the second device system 102 c, under control orexecution of the user interface monitoring program 105 b, may then beconfigured to determine or detect per block 514 that the user hasinteracted with the visual indicator 109 a. In this regard, the userinteraction may include a photographing of the visual indicator 109 a ata device 102 c different than a device 102 b that provides theobservable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a, according to someembodiments. Also in this regard, the observable presentation of thevisual indicator 109 a by the first device system (e.g., first devicesystem 102 b) may be considered a first observable presentation of thevisual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a), while a displayed image(e.g., displayed image 111) of the visual indicator displayed by thesecond device system (e.g., second device system 102 c) may beconsidered a second observable presentation 109 b of the visualindicator, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, thesecond device system (e.g., second device system 102 c) may beconfigured by the user interface monitoring program 105 b at least toanalyze an image (e.g., image 111) captured by a camera system (e.g.,camera system 112) of the second device system 102 c, where the imageincludes the second observable presentation (e.g., second observablepresentation 109 b) of the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109a).

In response to detection of the user interaction with the visualindicator 109 a by a data processing device system (e.g., of seconddevice system 102 c in this present example) under execution of the userinterface monitoring program 105 b according to program instructionsassociated with block 514, such data processing device system may beconfigured by the user interface monitoring program 105 b per programinstructions associated with block 516 to transmit a second indication(e.g., in contrast to the above-discussed first indication per blocks508 and 502) of the user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g.,visual indicator 109 a), according to some embodiments. The secondindication may be consistent with origination from a different program,such as the user interface monitoring program 105 b, distinct from thecontent monitoring program 105 a, according to some embodiments. In theexample of FIG. 4 , the second indication may be transmitted to theserver device system 102 a by the user interface monitoring program 105b executed by the second device system 102 c via communicativeconnection 103 b. In some embodiments, such second indication (e.g.,transmitted in accordance with program instructions associated withblock 516) may include or be transmitted contemporaneously with a userinteraction time indication indicating a time or time stamp of the userinteraction with the visual indicator (e.g., the visual indicator 109 ain this present example). The second indication may include, indicate,or be transmitted contemporaneously with other information, according tovarious embodiments.

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 512 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to receive thesecond indication of a user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g.,the visual indicator 109 a in the present example), which wastransmitted according to program instructions associated with block 516.In this regard, a data processing device system (e.g., an instance of ora part of data processing device system 110) of server device system 102a may be configured via a program, such as server program 107, at leastto receive from a communicatively connected second device system (e.g.,second device system 102 c in this example), via an input-output devicesystem (e.g., an instance of or a part of input-output device system120, such as network or communication interface 152) communicativelyconnected to a communications network (e.g., FIG. 3 or via communicativeconnection 103 b), a second indication of a user interaction with thevisual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a), according to someembodiments. The second indication may be consistent with originationfrom a different program, such as the user interface monitoring program105 b, distinct from the content monitoring program (e.g., contentmonitoring program 105 a), according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the second indication may include or be receivedper block 512 contemporaneously with a user interaction time indicationindicating a time or time stamp of the user interaction with the visualindicator (e.g., the visual indicator 109 a in this present example). Inthis regard, a data processing device system (e.g., an instance of or apart of data processing device system 110) of server device system 102 amay be configured via a program, such as server program 107, at least toreceive from a communicatively connected second device system (e.g.,second device system 102 c), via an input-output device system (e.g., aninstance of or a part of input-output device system 120, such as networkor communication interface 152) communicatively connected to acommunications network (e.g., FIG. 3 or via communicative connection 103b), a user interaction time indication indicating a time of userinteraction with the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a).

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 518 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to determine thatthe particular content (e.g., determined per block 504) is associatedwith the second indication of a user interaction with the visualindicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a). With respect to the example ofFIG. 6 , in response to receiving the second indication per block 512,the server device system 102 a may be configured to further populate thepreviously-generated entry (e.g., row 650 in this present example) indatabase 600 in response to the determination.

For example, the second indication received per block 512 may include orbe convertible to define a code, such as code “B36F”, which the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured to determine matches the code inrow 650, column 602, according to some embodiments, which may permit theserver device system 102 a to determine that the received secondindication is associated with the particular content in row 650, column604, according to some embodiments. However, other manners ofdetermining association between the particular content and the receivedsecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator maybe implemented according to various embodiments. For example, asdiscussed above, such code may be otherwise linked to or associated withthe particular content in the database 104.

In some embodiments, program instructions associated with block 520 inFIG. 5 may configure the server device system 102 a to store, in aprocessor-accessible memory device system (e.g., in database 600 storedin or by all or part of memory device system 130) and in response todetermining that the particular content is associated with the secondindication of user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g., visualindicator 109 a), an interaction indication indicating that theparticular content or information associated therewith, such as thevisual indicator 109 a, has been interacted with by a user or viewer.For example, according to some embodiments with respect to FIG. 6 , sucha stored indication of user interaction may be all or part of thepreviously-generated new database entry (e.g., previously generated perblock 510 in some embodiments), such as the database entry of row 650 indatabase 600, which the server device system 102 a may further populateaccording to program instructions associated with block 520 in responseto receiving the second indication, in some embodiments. For instance,based at least on determining that the particular content is associatedwith the received second indication per block 518, the server devicesystem 102 a may be configured to populate one or more of columns 616,618, 620, and 622 into the respective database entry (e.g., row 650 ofdatabase 600 in this example) based on information in the secondindication received per block 512.

In some embodiments, the second indication received per block 512 may beassociated with (e.g., by database 104) or include an association with(e.g., internally store or represent) a device identifier thatidentifies the device (e.g., all or a part of second device system 102 cin this present example) which detected (e.g., per block 514) the userinteraction with the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a). Inthe example of FIG. 6 , the device identifier associated with seconddevice system 102 c is “KL24”, which the server device system 102 arecords in row 650, column 616 in the database 600, in this presentexample.

In some embodiments, the second indication received per block 512 may beassociated with (e.g., by database 104) or include an association with(e.g., internally store or represent) a time or time stamp of the userinteraction with the visual indicator (e.g., the visual indicator 109 ain this present example). In the example of FIG. 6 , this time of theuser interaction with the visual indicator is stored by the serverdevice system 102 a in row 650, column 618 of the database 600,according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the server device system 102 a may be configured,according to program instructions associated with block 518, at least todetermine, based at least on an analysis of the time of initiation ofthe observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g., row 650,column 608 in FIG. 6 ) and the user interaction time indicationindicating the time of user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g.,row 650, column 618 in FIG. 6 ), a duration of elapsed time untiloccurrence of the user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g., thevisual indicator 109 a). In some embodiments, the duration of elapsedtime until occurrence of the user interaction with the visual indicatormay be determined as a difference between the time of initiation of theobservable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g., row 650, column608 in FIG. 6 ) and the user interaction time indication indicating thetime of user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g., row 650,column 618 in FIG. 6 ). The duration of elapsed time until occurrence ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator may be stored or recordedin the database 600 (e.g., in row 650, column 620) by the server devicesystem 102 a as an elapsed time indication or elapsed time information,according to program instructions associated with block 520. In thisregard, the server device system 102 a may be configured, according toprogram instructions associated with block 520, at least to store, in aprocessor-accessible memory device system (e.g., in database 600 storedin or by all or part of memory device system 130) and in associationwith the recorded-presentation indication (e.g., at least part of row650, such as the start of presentation time in row 650, column 608)indicating that the particular content has been device-presented, a userinteraction elapsed time indication (e.g., in row 650, column 620)indicating the determined duration of elapsed time until occurrence ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator (e.g., the visualindicator 109 a). Such elapsed time information may be particularlybeneficial, e.g., at least for an advertiser to understand how long ittook for a user or viewer to interact with an advertisement (e.g., viainteracting with the visual indicator 109 a) after the advertisementbegan. Shorter times may indicate greater user or viewer excitement overthe advertised product or service.

In some embodiments, the server device system 102 a (e.g., a dataprocessing device system thereof) may be configured by a program (e.g.,the server program 107 in some embodiments) including programinstructions associated with block 518 to utilize the time of userinteraction, which may be included in the second indication received perblock 512, to determine whether the user or viewer has validly acceptedan offer within the corresponding offer-available time stored (e.g., atrow 650, column 614 in database 600) per block 510. For instance, theserver device system 102 a may be configured to determine, according toprogram instructions associated with block 518 in FIG. 5 , whether theuser interaction time in row 650, column 618 is before the offerexpiration time in row 650, column 614 and, in some embodiments, afterthe start of presentation time in row 650, column 608. In the example ofrow 650 in FIG. 6 , this condition is met, and the server device system102 a may, consequently, be configured to associate the user interactionwith an acceptance of the corresponding offer and to store or record acorresponding offer-acceptance indication according to programinstructions associated with block 520, according to some embodiments.In the example of FIG. 6 , this offer-acceptance indication isrepresented by the value of “Yes” stored at row 650, column 622 indatabase 600, indicating that the offer has been accepted.

In other words, in some embodiments, a data processing device system(e.g., all or part of data processing device system 110) of the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured, via, e.g., the server program107, at least to determine, based at least on an analysis of the time inwhich the offer is available (e.g., the offer expiration time in row650, column 614 in database 600 in FIG. 6 ) and the time of userinteraction (e.g., the user interaction time in row 650, column 618 indatabase 600 in FIG. 6 ), an offer-acceptance indication indicating thatthe offer is accepted by the user interaction; and to store, in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, the offer-acceptanceindication (e.g., the “Yes” value in row 650, column 622 in database 600in FIG. 6 ).

In some embodiments, in response to determining the offer-acceptanceindication (e.g., indicating that the offer has been accepted by theuser interaction per the value of “Yes” in row 650, column 622 in thisexample), the server device system 102 a (e.g., a data processing devicesystem thereof) may be configured by a program (e.g., by programinstructions of the server program 107 associated with block 522 in FIG.5 ) at least to transmit an instruction (i.e., a set of one or moreinstructions) to execute a provision of a product, service, or both aproduct and service via an input-output device system (e.g., all or partof the input-output device system 120) of the server device system 102 acommunicatively connected to a communications network (e.g., viacommunicative connection 103 j in the example of FIG. 4 ). For example,with respect to FIGS. 4 and 6 , in response to determining that the userinteraction time at row 650, column 618 at second device system 102 c iswithin the offer-available period (before the time of row 650, column614), the server device system 102 a may be configured to transmit,according to program instructions associated with block 522, aninstruction to a third data processing device system 102 i via acommunicative connection 103 j therewith for the third data processingdevice system 102 i to provide the user of second device system 102 c(or some other user or individual in other embodiments) with a productor service associated with the digital content 108 visually presented bythe first device system 102 b. This configuration reveals yet anotherbenefit of the system architecture of at least FIG. 4 where, not onlyare observable presentations of digital content 108 detected, but alsouser interactions with such digital content are detected. By detectingboth presentations and user interactions with such digital content 108(e.g., via user interaction with the proxy visual indicator 109 a),various embodiments of the present inventive system architecture may beconfigured to efficiently provide products or services to the user orviewer who interacted with such digital content, according to someembodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, thisprovision of products or services, or instructions to provide suchproducts or services per block 522, may indicate a completion orfulfillment of the offer and acceptance represented, for example, by the“Yes” indication stored in row 650, column 622 in database 600. Althoughthe above example discusses the server device system 102 a transmittingan instruction to the third data processing device system 102 i toprovide the product or service, the server device system 102 a or someother device system (e.g., first device system 102 b or second devicesystem 102 c) may, in some embodiments, provide the product or serviceitself, or instruct another device system in addition to or instead ofthe third device system 102 i to provide the product or service,according to various embodiments.

In some embodiments, the user interaction with the visual indicator 109a leads to the provision of supplemental content or informationassociated with the digital content 108 or the particular content e.g.,per row 650, column 604 in database 600. For instance, the server devicesystem 102 a may be configured by program instructions associated withblock 522 to transmit an instruction (i.e., a set of one or moreinstructions) to a third device system (e.g., third device system 102 ivia a communicative connection 103 j in FIG. 4 ) to provide suchsupplemental content or information to the user or viewer of firstdevice system 102 b, second device system 102 c, or both (or some otheruser or individual of the same or different device system in otherembodiments). The supplemental content may provide additionalinformation or the ability to purchase related products or servicesassociated with the digital content 108 or the associated particularcontent (e.g., row 650, column 604 in database 600).

In some embodiments, such supplemental content or information is theprovision of a web page that provides that additional information orpurchasing opportunities to the first device system, the second devicesystem, or both the first device system and the second device system. Inthis regard, in some embodiments, a data processing device system (e.g.,all or part of data processing device system 110) of the server devicesystem 102 a may be configured, e.g., via the server program 107, atleast to transmit to a third device system (e.g., third device system102 i in the example of FIG. 4 ), in response to determining that theparticular content (e.g., the content of row 650, column 604 in database600) is associated (e.g., per block 518) with the second indicationreceived per block 512 of the user interaction with the visual indicator(e.g., visual indicator 109 a) and via an input-output device system(e.g., all or part of the input-output device system 120) of the serverdevice system 102 a communicatively connected to a communicationsnetwork (e.g., via communicative connection 103 j), an instruction tovisually present a web page associated with the particular content.

In the example of FIG. 4 , in response to receipt of the instruction toprovide the supplemental content or information from the server devicesystem 102 a, the third device system 102 i may be configured by programinstructions to provide an instruction (i.e., a set of one or moreinstructions) for the presentation of the web page, via a communicativeconnection 103 k, to the first device system 102 b (via communicativeconnection branch 103 k-2), the second device system 102 c (viacommunicative connection branch 103 k-1) or both the first device system102 b and the second device system 102 c, according to some embodiments.In this regard, the user interaction detected at second device system102 c may cause the provision of supplemental content at first devicesystem 102 b, which visually presented the digital content 108 andobservably presented the visual indicator 109 a. In some embodiments,the web page includes a tracking pixel configured to track a user'svisit to or activity at the web page, to provide even more information,for example, to an advertiser about the advertiser's associatedadvertising campaign.

Although the above example discusses the server device system 102 atransmitting an instruction to the third data processing device system102 i to provide the supplemental content or information, the serverdevice system 102 a or some other device system (e.g., first devicesystem 102 b or second device system 102 c) may, in some embodiments,provide the supplemental content or information itself, or instructanother device system in addition to or instead of the third devicesystem 102 i to provide the supplemental content or information,according to various embodiments.

In some embodiments, the third device system and at least the seconddevice system are implemented as a same system (e.g., configurations ofthe third device system 102 i and the second device system 102 c may becombined into a same device system), such that, e.g., the same devicesystem provides the second indication (e.g., provided per block 516 inFIG. 5 ) of the user interaction with the visual indicator and presentsthe web page associated with the particular content, which may includethe tracking pixel configured to track the user's visit to the web page.For example, in some embodiments, at least the device system 102 c,device system 102 d, device system 102 g, or device system 102 h may beconfigured by program instructions to provide the second indication(e.g., provided per block 516 in FIG. 5 ) of the user interaction withthe visual indicator and present the web page associated with theparticular content including the tracking pixel configured to track theuser's visit to the web page.

In some embodiments, the third device system and at least the firstdevice system are implemented as a same system (e.g., configurations ofthe third device system 102 i and the first device system 102 b may becombined into a same device system), such that the same device systemprovides the first indication (e.g., provided per block 508 in FIG. 5 )of the observable presentation of the visual indicator and presents theweb page associated with the particular content including the trackingpixel configured to track the user's visit to the web page. For example,in some embodiments, at least the device system 102 b or device system102 d may be configured by program instructions to provide the firstindication (e.g., provided per block 508 in FIG. 5 ) of the observablepresentation of the visual indicator and present the web page associatedwith the particular content including the tracking pixel configured totrack the user's visit to the web page.

According to some embodiments, the content monitoring program 105 aexecuted by the first device system (e.g., first device system 102 b)may configure the first device system according to program instructionsassociated with block 526 in FIG. 5 to detect a time of conclusion ofthe observable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g., visualindicator 109 a). The content monitoring program 105 a may alsoconfigure the first device system (e.g., first device system 102 b) viaprogram instructions associated with block 528 to transmit to the serverdevice system 102 a (e.g., via communicative connection 103 a) aconclusion time indication indicating a time of conclusion of theobservable presentation of the visual indicator. This time of conclusionof the observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a maycoincide with the time of conclusion of presentation of the digitalcontent 108, according to some embodiments. However, in otherembodiments it may be preferable to extend the duration of display ofthe observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a beyondconclusion of the presentation of the digital content 108. For example,in at least some cases, it may be preferable to allow a user or viewermore time to interact with the visual indicator 109 a, after terminationof presentation of the digital content 108, to learn more about orpurchase products or services associated with the digital content 108.For instance, the presentation of the digital content 108 may occur for30 seconds, but it may be preferable to allow the visual indicator 109 ato remain observably presented beyond such 30 seconds (even into thedisplay of subsequently unrelated digital content) to allow the user orviewer more time to engage with the digital content 108.

In some embodiments, the server device system 102 a may be configured byprogram instructions (e.g., which may be program instructions of theserver program 107 in some embodiments) associated with block 524 toreceive, from the first device system (e.g., first device system 102 bin this example), via the input-output device system (e.g., all or partof the input-output device system 120) communicatively connected to thecommunications network (e.g., via communicative connection 103 a in someembodiments), the conclusion time indication transmitted by the firstdevice system according to program instructions associated with block528. This conclusion time indication or a derivative thereof may bestored or recorded, for example, in row 650, column 610 in database 600,according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the serverdevice system 102 a may be configured by program instructions (e.g.,which may be program instructions of the server program 107 in someembodiments) associated with block 530 to determine, based at least onan analysis of the time of initiation (e.g., received per block 502 insome embodiments) of the observable presentation of the visual indicator(e.g., visual indicator 109 a) and the time of conclusion (e.g.,received per block 524 in some embodiments) of the observablepresentation of the visual indicator, a duration of time of theobservable presentation of the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator109 a). For example, such duration of time may be determined by theserver device system 102 a at least by determining the differencebetween the end of presentation time stored in, e.g., row 650, column610 and the start of presentation time stored in, e.g., row 650, column608 in database 610, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments,the server device system 102 a is configured by program instructions(e.g., which may be program instructions of the server program 107 insome embodiments) associated with block 532 to store, in aprocessor-accessible memory device system (e.g., all or part of thememory device system 130), and in association with therecorded-presentation indication (e.g., stored per block 510) indicatingthat the particular content has been device-presented, a durationindication indicating the duration determined according to programinstructions associated with block 530. For example, such determinedduration of presentation of the visual indicator 109 a may be stored orrecorded in row 650, column 612 in database 600, in association with therecorded-presentation indication exemplified by the existence of row650, which indicates that the particular content of row 650, column 604has been device-presented, according to some embodiments. The durationindication stored, e.g., in row 650, column 612 may indicate theduration of time of the observable presentation of the visual indicator,determined per block 530.

Some or all of the methods and processes of FIG. 5 may be repeated foreach observable presentation of a visual indicator, such as visualindicator 109 a, with each observable presentation resulting in anadditional row in database 600, according to some embodiments. Forexample, row 652 may represent a recorded-presentation indication forthe observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a at another“first device system” besides first device system 102 b. For example,the device identifier in row 652, column 606 may be associated withanother “first” device system 102 d shown in FIG. 4 , such that row 652represents an observable presentation of the visual indicator 109 a atfirst device system 102 d. In this regard, the transmission of the firstindication by such first device system 102 d per block 508 may occur viacommunicative connection 103 c with the server device system 102 a. Theobservable presentation indicated by row 652 shows that no userinteraction has occurred by the “Null” values in each of column 618,620, and 622 of row 652 in database 600. This circumstance may eitherindicate that a user or viewer never interacted with the visualindicator 109 a or that a user or viewer has not yet interacted with thevisual indicator 109 a as of the state of the database 600 illustratedin FIG. 6 , according to some embodiments.

In the example of FIG. 4 , the first device system 102 d may, forexample, be a smart phone in contrast to the television represented asfirst device system 102 b, such that the smart phone first device system102 d observably presents both the digital content 108 and the visualindicator 109 a, as does the television of first device system 102 b.

The example of device system 102 d also illustrates that the same devicesystem may be configured as both the “first device system” 551 and the“second device system” 552 by executing both the content monitoring(“CM”) program 105 a and the user interface monitoring (“UIM”) program105 b, such that the same device system executes the actions of bothcolumns 551 and 552 and FIG. 5 , according to some embodiments. Forexample, the device system 102 d may be configured as both the firstdevice system and the second device system, such that the same devicesystem (e.g., device system 102 d) provides the first indication (e.g.,first indication via communicative connection 103 c) of observablepresentation of the visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a) andprovides the second indication (e.g., second indication viacommunicative connection 103 d) of the user interaction with the visualindicator, according to some embodiments. (The communicative connection103 c and the communicative connection 103 d may be the samecommunicative connection in some embodiments.) In this regard, in someembodiments, the same device system (e.g., device system 102 d) mayexecute the content monitoring program 105 a and a different programdistinct from the content monitoring program, such as the user interfacemonitoring program 105 b.

It may be beneficial in various contexts to either have the same devicesystem execute both the content monitoring program 105 a and userinterface monitoring program 105 b, or to have different device systemsexecute the content monitoring program 105 a and user interfacemonitoring program 105 b, respectively. With respect to device system102 d, which is illustrated as a smart phone with a touchscreen, userinteraction with the visual indicator 109 a may occur via a usertouching (represented as hand touch 106 in FIG. 4 ) the visual indicator109 a, in contrast to the camera acquisition of an image of the visualindicator 109 a discussed above in the example of device systems 102 cand 102 b. In this regard, the user interaction may include or be atouching of a display region of a touch-enabled display device thatprovides the observable presentation of the visual indicator, e.g., asillustrated in FIG. 4 with respect to device system 102 d, according tosome embodiments. In some embodiments, the observable presentation ofthe visual indicator (e.g., visual indicator 109 a) and the userinteraction (e.g., via touchscreen) with the visual indicator may occurat the same device system (e.g., device system 102 d). Touchscreeninteraction with the visual indicator 109 a may be particularly suitablein some contexts in which the same device system operates both thecontent monitoring program 105 a and the user interface monitoringprogram 105 b, such that it may be difficult for the same device systemto capture an image of its own screen, although the user interaction mayalso occur in such circumstances utilizing a screen image captureprocess, where a device captures an image of its own screen. Further inthis regard, if the television 102 b is equipped with a touchscreen,user interaction with the visual indicator 109 a may occur at thetelevision 102 b via a user touching the visual indicator 109 a inaddition to or in lieu of capturing an image of the visual indicator 109a. Accordingly, it can be seen that different embodiments of the presentinvention utilize different manners of user interaction with the visualindicator 109 a for different benefits in different contexts, and theinvention as a whole is not limited to any particular user interactiontechnique.

FIG. 4 also illustrates different examples where the content monitoringprogram 105 a is operated by a first device system 102 e that monitorsthe content of a plurality of device systems 102 f, 102 g that aredistinct from each other and distinct from the first device system 102e. Such an architecture may be beneficial in some contexts to allow asingle device system, such as first device system 102 e, to monitor thecontent of multiple devices. In some embodiments, the first devicesystem 102 e also provides content to the device systems 102 f, 102 g,such that the first device system 102 e may be deemed a digital contentprovider to device systems 102 f, 102 g, thereby allowing the contentproviding device system 102 e to efficiently monitor the content ofdevice systems 102 f, 102 g (since it is the device providing thecontent). Further, in some embodiments, the device system 102 e may becombined with the server device system 102 a, such that the same devicesystem executes some or all of the actions or functions of both ofcolumns 550 and 551 of the methods of FIG. 5 . In other words, in someembodiments, the server device system 102 a may execute or be configuredto execute the content monitoring program 105 a. In some embodiments,the same device system may execute or be configured to execute theactions of all or part of columns 550, 551, and 552 of the methods ofFIG. 5 .

Continuing with the example of first device system 102 e, such devicesystem 102 e may monitor content presented by the device systems 102 f,102 g via respective communicative connections 103 f, 103 g. In responseto the content monitoring program 105 a executed by the first devicesystem 102 e detecting observable presentation of the visual indicator109 a at one or both of the device systems 102 f, 102 g, the firstdevice system 102 e may be configured to transmit the correspondingfirst indication(s) per block 508 to the server device system 102 a viacommunicative connection 103 e. In at least some embodiments where thefunctions of device system 102 e and device system 102 a are combined,however, such first indication(s) need not be transmitted through acommunications network and may instead be transmitted internally withinthe device system.

The device system 102 f may merely passively display content served toit e.g., from first device system 102 e, in some embodiments. On theother hand, device system 102 g may be a “second device system” thatexecutes the user interface monitoring program 105 b to record userinteractions (e.g., via a touchscreen) with the visual indicator 109 aand to transmit corresponding second indications per block 516 in FIG. 5to the device system 102 e via communicative connection 103 g. Underthis architecture, the device system 102 e may merely forward or passalong the second indications to the server device system 102 a viacommunicative connection 103 h (which may or may not be the same ascommunicative connection 102 e), according to some embodiments. In atleast some embodiments where the functions of device system 102 e anddevice system 102 a are combined, however, such forwarding would beunnecessary. In some embodiments, device systems 102 f, 102 g maycommunicate directly with server device system 102 a instead of throughdevice system 102 e.

In the case of a passive device system 102 f that does not execute thecontent monitoring program 105 a or the user interface monitoringprogram 105 b, device system 102 h may act as the “second device system”in the same manner as described above with respect to second devicesystem 102 c with respect to device system 102 b. In this regard, thesecond device system 102 h may execute the user interface monitoringprogram 105 b to configure such device system 102 h to transmit itssecond indications to the server device system 102 a via communicativeconnection 103 i.

FIG. 7 illustrates some examples of cumulative information that ispossible to be efficiently produced due to the effectiveness of thevarious system architectures described above. Such cumulativeinformation may be particularly beneficial at least for advertisers inevaluating the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. Inparticular, FIG. 7 illustrates cumulative information producible, forexample, by the server device system 102 a by compiling information suchas that recorded in database 600 in FIG. 6 , according to someembodiments. In FIG. 7 , row 750 illustrates cumulative informationassociated with cumulative observable presentations of a visualindicator associated with code “B36F” (shown in row 750, column 702 indatabase 700), which corresponds to the same code in column 602, rows650, 652 in FIG. 6 . Accordingly, row 750 in FIG. 7 may representcumulative information for an advertising campaign for the particularcontent “Coffee Brand X”, as shown in row 750, column 704. Column 706 ofrow 750 shows a total number of presentations of the particular content(or associated digital content 108), which may be determined by summingthe total number of rows in the database 600 associated with the code“B36F”. Column 708 of row 750 shows a total number of user interactionswith the particular content (or associated digital content 108), whichmay be determined by summing the total number of rows in the database600 associated with the code “B36F” that, e.g., have a non-Null value inat least column 618 (“User Interaction Time), indicating that thecontent was interacted with by a user. The average time until the userinteracted with the particular content (or associated digital content108), illustrated in row 750, column 710 may be determined by the serverdevice system 102 a averaging the elapsed time until user interactionsfrom column 620 for the rows in database 600 associated with code “B36F”that do not have a “Null” value in, e.g., column 618. The percentageinteractions to purchase in row 750, column 712 may represent a ratio ofthe number of rows in database 600 associated with code “B36F” thatexhibit a value of “Yes” in the “Offer Accepted” column 622 to thenumber of rows in database 600 associated with the code “B36F” that havea non-Null value for, e.g., column 618, to indicate the percentage ofuser interactions with the particular content (or associated digitalcontent 108) that resulted in the user accepting an offer for thecontent, e.g., by purchasing the content. Row 752 in FIG. 7 mayillustrate cumulative information associated with cumulative observablepresentations of a visual indicator associated with code “B36G” (shownin row 752, column 702 in database 700), which may be associated with adifferent advertising campaign than that summarized by row 750,according to some embodiments.

Subsets or combinations of various embodiments described above providefurther embodiments. These and other changes can be made to variousembodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, theterms used should not be construed to limit the invention to thespecific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, butshould be construed to include other systems in accordance with anyclaims. Further, it should be noted that, although several of theabove-discussed embodiments are described within the context of anadvertising system, other embodiments apply to other systems, such as atleast content monitoring or engagement systems, where one or more of theabove-described advantages or features will prove beneficial.Accordingly, the invention is not limited by this disclosure, butinstead its scope is to be determined entirely by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a data processing devicesystem; a processor-accessible memory device system communicativelyconnected to the data processing device system; and an input-outputdevice system communicatively connected to the data processing devicesystem and a communications network, wherein the data processing devicesystem is configured, via a program stored in the processor-accessiblememory device system, at least to: receive, via the communicationsnetwork and the input-output device system, from a first device system,a first indication of observable presentation of a visual indicator, thefirst indication consistent with origination from a content monitoringprogram detecting observable presentation of the visual indicator viamonitoring of device-presented content by the content monitoringprogram, determine particular content associated with the received firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator, store, inthe processor-accessible memory device system and in response todetermining that the particular content is associated with the receivedfirst indication of observable presentation of the visual indicator, arecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contentor information associated therewith has been device-presented, receive,via the communications network and the input-output device system, froma second device system, a second indication of a user interaction withthe visual indicator, the second indication consistent with originationfrom a different program distinct from the content monitoring program,the second device system distinct from the first device system,determine that the particular content is associated with the receivedsecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator, andstore, in the processor-accessible memory device system and in responseto determining that the particular content is associated with thereceived second indication of the user interaction with the visualindicator, an interaction indication that the particular content hasbeen interacted with by a user, wherein the observable presentation ofthe visual indicator is a first observable presentation of the visualindicator, wherein the second device system is configured by thedifferent program at least to analyze an image of the visual indicatorcaptured by a camera system of the second device system, the imageincluding a second observable presentation of the visual indicator,wherein the first indication of observable presentation of the visualindicator includes a time stamp indicating a time of initiation of thefirst observable presentation of the visual indicator, and wherein thedata processing device system is configured, via the program stored inthe processor-accessible memory device system, at least to: receive fromthe second device system, via the communications network and theinput-output device system, a user interaction time indicationindicating a time of user interaction with the visual indicator;determine, based at least on an analysis of the time of initiation ofthe first observable presentation of the visual indicator and the userinteraction time indication indicating the time of user interaction withthe visual indicator, a duration of elapsed time until occurrence of theuser interaction with the visual indicator; and store, in theprocessor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contenthas been device-presented, a user interaction elapsed time indicationindicating the determined duration of elapsed time until occurrence ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the particular content associated with the received firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator isdifferent than the visual indicator.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe visual indicator is a static, visible image representation of acode.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processing devicesystem is configured, via the program stored in the processor-accessiblememory device system, at least to: receive from the first device system,via the communications network and the input-output device system, aconclusion time indication indicating a time of conclusion of the firstobservable presentation of the visual indicator; determine, based atleast on an analysis of the time of initiation of the first observablepresentation of the visual indicator and the time of conclusion of thefirst observable presentation of the visual indicator, a duration oftime of the first observable presentation of the visual indicator; andstore, in the processor-accessible memory device system in associationwith the recorded-presentation indication indicating that the particularcontent has been device-presented, a duration indication indicating thedetermined duration of time of the first observable presentation of thevisual indicator.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processingdevice system is configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: determine, basedat least on an analysis of the time of initiation of the firstobservable presentation of the visual indicator, an offer-available timeindication indicating a time in which an offer is available; store, inthe processor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contenthas been device-presented, the determined offer-available timeindication indicating the time in which the offer is available;determine, based at least on an analysis of the time in which the offeris available and the time of user interaction, an offer-acceptanceindication indicating that the offer is accepted by the userinteraction; and store, in the processor-accessible memory devicesystem, the offer-acceptance indication.
 6. The system of claim 5,wherein the data processing device system is configured, via the programstored in the processor-accessible memory device system, at least to:transmit, in response to determining the offer-acceptance indication andvia the communications network and the input-output device system, aninstruction to execute a provision of a product, service, or both aproduct and service.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the dataprocessing device system is configured, via the program stored in theprocessor-accessible memory device system, at least to: transmit to athird device system, in response to determining that the particularcontent is associated with the received second indication of the userinteraction with the visual indicator and via the communications networkand the input-output device system, an instruction to visually present aweb page associated with the particular content including a trackingpixel configured to track a user's visit to the web page.
 8. The systemof claim 7, wherein the third device system is the second device system,such that the third device system and the second device system are thesame device system, and such that the same device system provides thesecond indication of the user interaction with the visual indicator andpresents the web page associated with the particular content includingthe tracking pixel configured to track the user's visit to the web page.9. The system of claim 7, wherein the third device system is the firstdevice system, such that the third device system and the first devicesystem are the same device system, and such that the same device systemprovides the first indication of the observable presentation of thevisual indicator and presents the web page associated with theparticular content including the tracking pixel configured to track theuser's visit to the web page.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein thefirst device system executes the content monitoring program and providesthe first observable presentation of the visual indicator via a displaydevice system of the first device system.
 11. The system of claim 1,wherein the user interaction includes a photographing of the visualindicator at a device different than a device that provides the firstobservable presentation of the visual indicator.
 12. The system of claim1, wherein the user interaction includes a touching of a display regionof a touch-enabled display device that provides the first observablepresentation of the visual indicator.
 13. The system of claim 1, whereinthe visual indicator is configured to attract user interaction.
 14. Avisual indication presentation and interaction processing methodexecuted by a data processing device system communicatively connected toa processor-accessible memory device system and an input-output devicesystem, the method comprising: receiving, via a communications networkand the input-output device system, from a first device system, a firstindication of observable presentation of a visual indicator, the firstindication consistent with origination from a content monitoring programdetecting observable presentation of the visual indicator via monitoringof device-presented content by the content monitoring program;determining particular content associated with the received firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator; storing,in the processor-accessible memory device system and in response todetermining that the particular content is associated with the receivedfirst indication of observable presentation of the visual indicator, arecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contentor information associated therewith has been device-presented;receiving, via the communications network and the input-output devicesystem, from a second device system, a second indication of a userinteraction with the visual indicator, the second indication consistentwith origination from a different program distinct from the contentmonitoring program, the second device system distinct from the firstdevice system; determining that the particular content is associatedwith the received second indication of the user interaction with thevisual indicator; and storing, in the processor-accessible memory devicesystem and in response to determining that the particular content isassociated with the received second indication of the user interactionwith the visual indicator, an interaction indication that the particularcontent has been interacted with by a user, wherein the observablepresentation of the visual indicator is a first observable presentationof the visual indicator, wherein the second device system is configuredby the different program at least to analyze an image of the visualindicator captured by a camera system of the second device system, theimage including a second observable presentation of the visualindicator, wherein the first indication of observable presentation ofthe visual indicator includes a time stamp indicating a time ofinitiation of the first observable presentation of the visual indicator,and wherein the method comprises: receiving from the second devicesystem, via the communications network and the input-output devicesystem, a user interaction time indication indicating a time of userinteraction with the visual indicator; determining, based at least on ananalysis of the time of initiation of the first observable presentationof the visual indicator and the user interaction time indicationindicating the time of user interaction with the visual indicator, aduration of elapsed time until occurrence of the user interaction withthe visual indicator; and storing, in the processor-accessible memorydevice system in association with the recorded-presentation indicationindicating that the particular content has been device-presented, a userinteraction elapsed time indication indicating the determined durationof elapsed time until occurrence of the user interaction with the visualindicator.
 15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storagemediums storing a program executable by one or more data processingdevices of a data processing device system communicatively connected toan input-output device system and a communications network, the programcomprising: first reception instructions configured to cause reception,via the communications network and the input-output device system, froma first device system, of a first indication of observable presentationof a visual indicator, the first indication consistent with originationfrom a content monitoring program detecting observable presentation ofthe visual indicator via monitoring of device-presented content by thecontent monitoring program; first determination instructions configuredto cause a determination of particular content associated with thereceived first indication of observable presentation of the visualindicator; first storage instructions configured to cause storage, in aprocessor-accessible memory device system and in response to determiningthat the particular content is associated with the received firstindication of observable presentation of the visual indicator, of arecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contentor information associated therewith has been device-presented; secondreception instructions configured to cause reception, via thecommunications network and the input-output device system, from a seconddevice system, of a second indication of a user interaction with thevisual indicator, the second indication consistent with origination froma different program distinct from the content monitoring program, thesecond device system distinct from the first device system; seconddetermination instructions configured to cause a determination that theparticular content is associated with the received second indication ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator; and second storageinstructions configured to cause storage, in the processor-accessiblememory device system and in response to determining that the particularcontent is associated with the received second indication of the userinteraction with the visual indicator, of an interaction indication thatthe particular content has been interacted with by a user, wherein theobservable presentation of the visual indicator is a first observablepresentation of the visual indicator, wherein the second device systemis configured by the different program at least to analyze an image ofthe visual indicator captured by a camera system of the second devicesystem, the image including a second observable presentation of thevisual indicator, wherein the first indication of observablepresentation of the visual indicator includes a time stamp indicating atime of initiation of the first observable presentation of the visualindicator, and wherein the program comprises: third receptioninstructions configured to cause reception from the second devicesystem, via the communications network and the input-output devicesystem, a user interaction time indication indicating a time of userinteraction with the visual indicator; third determination instructionsconfigured to cause a determination, based at least on an analysis ofthe time of initiation of the first observable presentation of thevisual indicator and the user interaction time indication indicating thetime of user interaction with the visual indicator, of a duration ofelapsed time until occurrence of the user interaction with the visualindicator; and third storage instructions configured to cause storage,in the processor-accessible memory device system in association with therecorded-presentation indication indicating that the particular contenthas been device-presented, of a user interaction elapsed time indicationindicating the determined duration of elapsed time until occurrence ofthe user interaction with the visual indicator.